Real Madrid boss insists his workforce are usually not underdogs towards Man City as he offers Kylian Mbappe harm replace
Real Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa has defiantly stated his side are not underdogs as they prepare to face Manchester City in the Champions League last-16 first leg at the Bernabeu.
The Spanish giants are grappling with a significant injury crisis and have endured a period of inconsistent form heading into Wednesday’s crucial encounter.
Despite a lengthy list of absentees, Arbeloa expressed confidence in his team’s ability to compete.
“It is going to be a tough game against a great team, great players and amazing coach,” he acknowledged.
“We are well aware that we need to win the game. That is our mentality. The Champions League is key for all of us.”
He added: “We are not underdogs. That is what we think. We are Real Madrid. The situation doesn’t matter. We don’t need to feel inferior to any team.”
The squad is severely depleted, with top scorer Kylian Mbappe, forward Rodrygo, and England midfielder Jude Bellingham all sidelined. Dani Ceballos, Alvaro Carreras, David Alaba, and Eder Militao are also unavailable, though Eduardo Camavinga has recovered from a virus.
Real Madrid’s recent domestic performances have been shaky. While they secured a much-needed victory against Celta Vigo in their last outing, courtesy of a late Federico Valverde goal, this followed two consecutive defeats in LaLiga.
They currently sit four points adrift of leaders Barcelona, highlighting the urgency for key players to return.
Arbeloa remains optimistic about Mbappe’s return, hoping the forward, who has been troubled by a knee injury, will be fit for the second leg at the Etihad Stadium next week.
“He is recovering quite well. We have to see day after day about his recovery but he is back with great spirit and we hope to get him back as soon as possible,” Arbeloa stated.
With so many key players missing, the onus falls heavily on Vinicius Junior.
“If Vini is on the pitch, he is going to be key for us. It is clear we have key absences to top-level players,” Arbeloa said, adding: “With Vini having so much responsibility it is normal he is our leader in attack. We need the best of him to beat Manchester City.”
The two European heavyweights have become familiar adversaries, clashing 15 times since 2012, including in six of the last seven seasons.
Their most recent encounter saw Pep Guardiola’s City secure a 2-1 victory at the Bernabeu in the league phase last December, a match played under former Real coach Xabi Alonso, who was sacked in January and replaced by Arbeloa.
Former Liverpool defender Arbeloa underlined the significance of the fixture.
“There is much motivation for us and the players, even if we have played a lot of games between the two clubs,” he remarked.
“It will be a special night with our fans. For me as a head coach it is really important to face one of the best coaches in football.”
